Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Zucchini Slaw

Tags

BBQ, cooking, Crockpot, food, Pork, Pulled Pork, Recipes, Sandwich, Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

Ingredients 

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat.

Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well.

Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries:

Ingredients

• Olive Oil, for tossing
• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
• Oil
• 1 tablespoon House Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

 

I had company over, so I don’t have anymore photos of the process. But I think you can handle it. =)

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

For the House Seasoning:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Slaw:

Ingredients:

4 zucchini (about 1 pound)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeds and stem removed, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Dash of cayenne

Method:
Using a knife, food processor or julienne peeler, cut the unpeeled zucchini into thin matchstick-sized pieces, about 4 inches in length. Place the julienned zucchini into a container, toss with the salt and refrigerate for an hour.

Drain off the excess liquid, and then toss the julienned zucchini with the shredded carrot, cilantro, jalapeño, bell pepper, garlic and red onion. Stir in the mayonnaise and mustard until they are well combined with the salad. Add a pinch of cayenne and salt to taste.

Chill for one hour. Serve cold.

Recipe Sources:

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork…All Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries…Food Network

Zucchini Slaw…Homesick Texan…Awesome Blog…check it out!

Pumpkin Ravioli with a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Tags

cooking, fall, food, pasta, pasta dough, pumpkin, Ravioli, Recipes, sauce

Ingredients

• 9 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the filling…

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.

Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.

Looks a lot like baby food…but it smells and tastes SO good!!

For the dough…

Check my last post for Pasta Dough.

Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square. Bring 1 corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely.

 Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color.  Remove the pasta from the water and drain well. Season the pasta with salt and pepper.

 In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.

Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley.

Recipe Source…Food Network

Pasta Dough

Tags

cooking, food, pasta, pasta dough

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make the dough by hand: Combine the flour and salt on a flat work surface, shape into a mound, and make a well in the center.

Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork.

Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall and mix it with the beaten eggs. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a smooth dough. Dust some flour on the work surface; knead and fold the dough until it is elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. My dough was a little dry, so I added about 2 Tablespoons of water.

Brush the surface of the dough with the remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

OK, now the next few steps called for pasta machine…I don’t have one of those. I did it the old fashioned way, with a rolling pin.  It did take a lot longer to get it to an 1/8 of an inch though. So if you have the machine…use it!

To roll out the dough: Cut the ball of dough in half, cover and reserve the piece you are not using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with a little flour. Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it through a pasta machine set at the widest setting 2 or 3 times. Guide the dough with your hand as it emerges from the rollers to prevent it from puncturing or stretching. Dust the sheets with extra flour whenever the dough gets sticky. Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again 2 or 3 times. Continue reducing the setting and rolling until the machine is at its narrowest setting; the dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick for ravioli. Roll out the other half.

 

Whoopie Pies

Tags

baking, cake, chocolate, cookies, dessert, food, Frosting, Icing, whoopie pie

For Cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk… I didn’t have buttermilk, so I used 1 cup of milk + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (let it rest for 10 min before using)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg…I also didn’t have eggs, so I used 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

My whoopie pies didn’t come out as smooth as they are supposed to, and were a little crumbly, but still delicious, I think because I didn’t have a real egg.

For Filling

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

I actually didn’t make the filling. I had leftover Wilton vanilla whipped icing from cupcakes I made for work. It’s very light and fluffy like marshmallow fluff, but less sticky, so I think its perfect for whoopie pies.

Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well.

• Left…egg substitue…1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar.
• Right…Buttermilk substitute…1 Cup milk and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (let rest for 10 min).

Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Make filling:

Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

This recipe was taken from Epicurious.com

They really are delicious and I will definitely be making them again. Hope you enjoy!! Thanks for stoping by!!